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Nursing Home FAQs Who are the ombudsmen? The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program assists residents of nursing homes and advocate on their behalf. Ombudsman staff visit nursing homes and speak with residents throughout the year, working to make sure that the residents' rights are being upheld. The state inspection team gets information from the ombudsman about problems in the facilities. The program began in 1971 and is funded on the federal level by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging. Every state has its own ombudsman program as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Some states use community volunteers in addition to paid staff. The ombudsman is an important resource to residents, their families and friends. The ombudsman can provide information about how nursing homes are organized and regulated. The ombudsman may be able to highlight the nursing home's strengths and weaknesses. The ombudsman can also work to resolve problems such as poor care, dietary needs and financial issues. Sometimes consumers' problems can be dealt with very effectively by the ombudsman who mediates between the resident and the nursing home staff. However, the consumer may want to file a complaint with the regulatory agency which has the power to enforce Federal guidelines on nursing homes. The Ombudsman can work with you to determine how problems in nursing homes may best be handled. What should I consider when locating a nursing home? Location is very important. If you choose a nursing home that is close to your friends and family, they may be able to visit you more often and you may feel less lonely. Also, they can act as your advocate (supporter), if you need one. Another important thing you can do is visit the nursing home you are interested in and talk with current or former residents and their family members to see if they are happy with the care they received from the nursing home. What about nursing home availability? Nursing homes have a limited number of beds. A certain number of those beds may be for persons with a specific type of insurance (like Medicare or Medicaid). When you find a nursing home you like, you should find out if there will be a bed available for you, or if you can add your name to a waiting list. Is accreditation the same thing as Medicare or Medicaid certification? No. HCFA does not recognize nursing home accreditation. Accreditation represents a certification by a private-sector organization (such as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or the Long-term Care Evaluation Program) that a nursing home meets certain standards it has established. Accreditation is voluntary for nursing homes and does not affect the home's eligibility to act as a Medicare or Medicaid care provider. |
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